Shop Heaters...

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Roos85

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Location
MoCo, MD
What are you using to keep your shop warm if not heated obviously? The garage is attached 2 car but is not heated. We wanna be safe when were turning but the winter is pretty cold. Any ideas? Thanks
 
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I tried several "cheap" options to heat mine at first but they just didn't produce enough heat for the winter months. The size was against me for small space heaters as well with the garage being 3 cars wide by 2 cars deep, so I bit the bullet and installed a ceiling mounted garage furnace.

It cost more initially but I think it's going to pay for itself in the long run because I can turn it down when I'm not out there, yet keep a lower temp set on the thermostat, so I don't have any condensation issues causing everything metal to rust (maintaining 45 deg. F for a low). Then it's simple and quick to raise it up to 65 when I'm out working in the shop. Because is it's sized for the garage it's doesn't strain to keep it warmed up when I need it, and reduced maintainance costs from not having to fight rust issues.
 
I use a kerosene heater, and added a CO2 detecter in the shop. It works very well. I can bring a 1600 sq ft shop from 60 degrees to 75 degrees in less than an hour!
 
Damned thin skinned southern:rolleyes:, 60 degrees is almost hot here, 75 and I'd smother:wink:.


PenMan1 said:
I use a kerosene heater, and added a CO2 detector in the shop. It works very well. I can bring a 1600 sq ft shop from 60 degrees to 75 degrees in less than an hour!
Click to expand...
 
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OKLAHOMAN said:
Damned thin skinned southern:rolleyes:, 60 degrees is almost hot here, 75 and I'd smother:wink:.


PenMan1 said:
I use a kerosene heater, and added a CO2 detector in the shop. It works very well. I can bring a 1600 sq ft shop from 60 degrees to 75 degrees in less than an hour!
Click to expand...
Click to expand...

IF IT GETS BELOW 50 degrees here, the grocery stores get packed, people looking for SNOW:biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:

Needless to say, IT rarely gets cold here! Last year, We ACTUALLY HAD snow. My 8 year old Jack Russell kept us awake for days, barking at the snow. She refused to "potty" outside, unless I picked her up, carried her outside and "shoveled the snow" (I actually used a bulb planter) from her favorite "bathroom".

If it gets much colder than 50 degrees, I'm going to Cabo!
 
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I used to use a couple of propane heaters. Then I got smart and abandoned the big lathe and purchased one I could carry down into the basement. No more waiting to heat the shop up! :smile:
 
When I lived in CO I used a BigBuddy propane heater. Worked awesome, but you have to remember to vent the garage after you're done for the day. Propane exhaust is water, and there's a chance it will condense on the cast iron surfaces of your tools. Never happened to me, but I was worried enough about it to be very diligent about opening the garage door for a few minutes before going in.
 
I have a kerosense heater, we were worried about the fumes harming us in the garage from it. Sounds like its not to terrible for us to use though.
 
Not that it gets super cold in Nashville, but I have a three car garage and bought foam insulation panels for the doors. They work great. However, I do have a kerosene heater standing by when needed.
 
Kero

Like you I have a 2 car attached garage but have no insulation in the ceiling. I use a kero heater. It works well but burns a lot of fuel, maybe 2-3 gal per day (6-8 hr) when its 30 or below. I am adding insulation to the attic next week or so and I bet it will cut fuel use in half.
John
 
Same story here. Attached 2-car with no insulation or ceiling. Yesterday, I bought one of those propane "torpedo" heaters. Something like 60,000 BTU on high. Got it home, and fired it up. Warmed up the garage real quick. The manual says that I can run it on low (30,000 BTU) for about 14 hours and for about 7 hours on high (60,000 BTU) on a 20 lb tank. I am a little worried though for when it get really cold. Anything below 10 degrees, the manual calls for a larger tank, as less propane vaporizes at lower temps. We'll see, I guess.
 
My shop is a 30 x 48 pole barn that I have insulated. I put in a "used oil" furnace and love it. I have 55 gal. drums in a couple repair shops and when they get close to full they call and I go get the oil. Keeps the shop at 70 when it is -15 outside, I just turn the thermostat to what I want. Initial cost was high, but free heat for the last 6 years has been worth it.
 
I have a 3 car garage where the third car I put up a wall. My wifes car has the other two. If I drive her car somewhere and then drive it into the garage it heats the garage up until she decides to open the doors again to go somewhere. the problem with this is the summertime. It is already 100 degrees and then the car pulls in with the engine at 250.
 
http://www.cadetco.com/show_product.php?prodid=1012

I have this one in our two car garage and couldn't be happier. It's the CADET "HOT ONE" garage heater. It's a 220 volt 30 amp heater. I have mine set to below the mid range and it keeps the garage at 68 F and I don't have the fumes or the problem with venting. The biggest key is insulate the space you use, it will save money in the long run and will make it quicker to heat.
 
PenMan1 said:
I use a kerosene heater, and added a CO2 detecter in the shop. It works very well. I can bring a 1600 sq ft shop from 60 degrees to 75 degrees in less than an hour!
Click to expand...


Seriously Andy...I think you could bring your shop up to 70 from 50 with two matches and a stick! Come to Iowa in the winter we sun bathe at 50.

When I built my garage one of my nieghbors worked at an AC/HV place. He brought me a furnace out of a house that was being replaced. It was out of a two story house and was 7 years old, I paid him a $100 for it and he installed for another 100.00. He said that small shops actually sell used furnaces a lot....I know I got a deal on the installation but I know that was their going price for the furnace itself. I keep my garage at 40 all the time to prevent rust on my equipment and keep the paints and such from freezing. I "sell" this to the little woman by telling her how nice it is for her to get into a semi warm car....(Clearly this would not work for Andy at 40) I kick it up to 68 when I want to work and it takes about 15 minutes. My garage is 1200 sq, it is well insulated but not overly, and our gas bill has increased about 25.00 per month in Jan and Feb.....I thank my friend for his suggestion and work every chance I get....
 
Here's what I use:
MrHeater.jpg

210,000 btu/hr, if memory serves.

Regards,
Eric
 
RE: Shop Heaters

The shop heaters mentioned in the posts all sound fine.

For me, if my feet are cold then I'm going to be cold regardless of air temperature. If the feet are warm, then I'm going to be more comfortable. My shop is in my basement which hovers around 60-62 degrees December - March each winter. The unheated concrete floor chills my bones when standing at the lathe or at my workbench. Six years ago I experimented and bought an electrically-heated rubber floor mat and have been very pleased how well it keeps my feet warm during extended standing. It is 16" x 36", 110v, and small amp draw. When I bought it six years ago, I had doubts of how well it would hold up in my shop ... well, it's still working.

Here is a picture and a good price ($60 shipped as of today, 11/11/18) ... http://www.amazon.com/Indus-Tool-FWB-16-by-36-Inch-Foot-Warmer-Mat/dp/B0013V1PYA I've noticed that Amazon's price varies daily. Google the Indus-tool nomenclature and you'll find quite a few sellers ... choose the best price and go for it. Note that Indus-tool also makes the same heated floor mat with rheostat for a few dollars more.


Tom
 
My uncle has an old oil furnace he salvaged from a house being renovated. He puts a quart of fuel oil in a small tank from a lawn mower and it runs for several hours. no ducting, only the flue going outside.
 
I'm astounded. all these wood workers and NO wood heat. I have had both my personal as well as my company shops heated with wood for ever. I think its been about 6 years now in my new company shop and my heating bill has been ZERO. on top of a nice worm heat I get rid of all my wood scraps and finishing rags so don't have to worry about a fire happening over night.

hurts sometime throwing all those potentual pen blanks into the stove though :)

Erik
 
QUARTZ HEATER. Got mine from Lowes last year. Has two quartz light bulbs and a blower. Has two heat settings and a fan setting. I keep it on high. Set it near the lathe and up off the floor a little out of the direction of shavings and it keeps my lathe area comfortable. Cost me $50. Thinking of getting another one to have one on both sides of my turning area. One is good but two would be great.

Jack
 
My shop is a 20x20 shed with an 8x20 anteroom. I have an electric heater (220 v) mounted on the ceiling of the main shop. Keep it turned to lowest setting to keep the shop around 40-45. Bump it up to work. Sweet.
 
moke said:
PenMan1 said:
I use a kerosene heater, and added a CO2 detecter in the shop. It works very well. I can bring a 1600 sq ft shop from 60 degrees to 75 degrees in less than an hour!
Click to expand...


Seriously Andy...I think you could bring your shop up to 70 from 50 with two matches and a stick! Come to Iowa in the winter we sun bathe at 50.

When I built my garage one of my nieghbors worked at an AC/HV place. He brought me a furnace out of a house that was being replaced. It was out of a two story house and was 7 years old, I paid him a $100 for it and he installed for another 100.00. He said that small shops actually sell used furnaces a lot....I know I got a deal on the installation but I know that was their going price for the furnace itself. I keep my garage at 40 all the time to prevent rust on my equipment and keep the paints and such from freezing. I "sell" this to the little woman by telling her how nice it is for her to get into a semi warm car....(Clearly this would not work for Andy at 40) I kick it up to 68 when I want to work and it takes about 15 minutes. My garage is 1200 sq, it is well insulated but not overly, and our gas bill has increased about 25.00 per month in Jan and Feb.....I thank my friend for his suggestion and work every chance I get....
Click to expand...


LOL!
50. That's a scary temperature! Every serious BBQ cooker know that 55 degrees is the "drop off" point for redneck testicles!

THE ONLY time my shop would EVER EVEN COME CLOSE to reaching 55 degrees is sometimes in late AUGUST and even then, it takes 2- 5 ton AC units, running 24/7 to even get close:biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:.

And by the way, what is the snow shovel thing, of which y'all speak?
 
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